Our environment is the only thing we have. Right now, our land needs us more than ever before. I urge you to take a step back, and realize these convenient, consumer goods are an irresponsible choice in progressing with our environmental efforts as a community.

Day to day, we make choices that will leave a footprint for years to come. We associate Washington State with images of lush forests, scenic trails, and breathtaking waterfalls. In order to keep these mental-depictions intact, we need to make continuous efforts in progressing towards sustainable efforts to not only protect our land, but the generations to come.

According to a peer-reviewed study done by Rutgers University, authors mention how “the polystyrene [Styrofoam] manufacturing process is the 5th largest creator of hazardous waste. The process of making polystyrene pollutes the air and creates large amounts of liquid and solid waste. Polystyrene is manufactured with HCFC-22, a green-house gas that affects the ozone layer, and petroleum, a non-sustainable and highly polluting resource” (Miller et. al, 2009).

Styrofoam has been considered a leading component of marine debris. Due to its non-biodegradable properties, Styrofoam is found floating in many waterways and coasts. “This also affects animals in the wild, due to broken down bits of polystyrene obstructing their airways, contaminating their resources, and causing cancer and digestive problems” (Miller et. al, 2009). Styrofoam can be recycled, however, the market for recycled Styrofoam is continuously decreasing, as many recycling companies are slowly diminishing their demand for polystyrene based goods.

There are a multitude of alternatives to this damaging product, such as recycled paper, bamboo, and corn-plastic.

With your help, we can take one step against polluting the land around us, starting with King County.